Like a Virgin April 1 2007 (Symmons Plains)
Id been looking forward to running at Symmons for a long, long time. I never got around to it when I raced the Hunter. It wasnt looking good this time either. Im pretty broke right now. Thanks to mum and dad otherwise Id be even worse off. They dont have mega dollars to give me but every little bit helps (even a few bucks from some silent friends, you know who you are. Wink!!)For this meeting we replaced the intercooler with a bigger one.
In the end we decided to go up on the Saturday to get some practice. I arrived about 2pm and waited my turn. When that turn came I started to wonder if I was doing the right thing. The track wasnt how I expect and I felt abit nervious. Well, the car must of too because on the first lap one of the intercooler pipes came off. So I spent 20mins or fixing that and went out for another go. This time the track didnt seem so bad. I wasnt on my race tyres, saving them for the racing and drove round on street tyres just to get used to the place. So every lap I did it got easier and I thought maybe I am cut out for this after all.
Qualifying was an unknown. I was 7th for race 1. We made up one place to finish 6th. I felt abit out gunned. Race 2 then was abit different. I got a ripper start and was 4th for most of the race having started a day long duel with Ross Marsden in another GTS skyline. He got by me on the last lap. His thing was quicker down the straights and I was slightly better in the turns.
Race 3 and tha battle continued. Another great start and I was up to 4th, then found myself in 3rd when one of the front runners spun. I was hoping he would catch up but he before the end. Marsden caught and passed and then thought he'd do a little dance in the sand. This handed me 4th place. I set my fastest lap of the day at 1.06.830.
The final race of the day brought mixed results. The brake rotors had been warping all day and were pretty bad in the last race. I wasnt able to brake very well at all.
I held 4th place for 80% of the distance but the car started to misfire which was a sign it was over heating. I had to back off and let just about everyone pass till it cooled down. But the main thing is we survived to fight another day.
Its now back to Baskerville on the 27 of May for round 3. A few things need to be down before then, and hopfully extract some more power too. Bye for now!!
P.S We found ourselves in The Examiner newspaper too!!
Photos Copyright David Clifford
In the end we decided to go up on the Saturday to get some practice. I arrived about 2pm and waited my turn. When that turn came I started to wonder if I was doing the right thing. The track wasnt how I expect and I felt abit nervious. Well, the car must of too because on the first lap one of the intercooler pipes came off. So I spent 20mins or fixing that and went out for another go. This time the track didnt seem so bad. I wasnt on my race tyres, saving them for the racing and drove round on street tyres just to get used to the place. So every lap I did it got easier and I thought maybe I am cut out for this after all.
Qualifying was an unknown. I was 7th for race 1. We made up one place to finish 6th. I felt abit out gunned. Race 2 then was abit different. I got a ripper start and was 4th for most of the race having started a day long duel with Ross Marsden in another GTS skyline. He got by me on the last lap. His thing was quicker down the straights and I was slightly better in the turns.
Race 3 and tha battle continued. Another great start and I was up to 4th, then found myself in 3rd when one of the front runners spun. I was hoping he would catch up but he before the end. Marsden caught and passed and then thought he'd do a little dance in the sand. This handed me 4th place. I set my fastest lap of the day at 1.06.830.
The final race of the day brought mixed results. The brake rotors had been warping all day and were pretty bad in the last race. I wasnt able to brake very well at all.
I held 4th place for 80% of the distance but the car started to misfire which was a sign it was over heating. I had to back off and let just about everyone pass till it cooled down. But the main thing is we survived to fight another day.
Its now back to Baskerville on the 27 of May for round 3. A few things need to be down before then, and hopfully extract some more power too. Bye for now!!
P.S We found ourselves in The Examiner newspaper too!!
Photos Copyright David Clifford
posted by JOHN BRIGGS at Tuesday, April 03, 2007
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